Terry Porter is first candidate to interview for Wolves' job

Former Timberwolves player and former Milwaukee and Phoenix head coach Terry Porter today is the first candidate to formally interview for the team's head-coaching job, according to league sources.

David Kahn has made background research calls and talked by phone to at least one other candidate -- Don Nelson -- but Porter is the first to come to town to interview with Kahn and likely owner Glen Taylor.

Porter played 17 NBA seasons, including three for the Wolves in the mid-1990s when the team brought both Porter and Sam Mitchell into the locker room to help mentor budding superstar Kevin Garnett.

He has a .460 winning percentage in two stints as an NBA head coach, with his hometown Milwaukee Bucks for two seasons (71-93 in 2003-2005) and Phoenix for one season (28-23 in 2008-09).

Interesting that the first candidate to interview is a former two-time All Star at point guard, Ricky Rubio's position.

Also interesting that the first guy is one whom the Suns fired after four months on the job because he tried unsuccessfully to tone down the Suns' famous breakneck offensive speed by featuring Shaquille O'Neal more and by bringing a defensive philosophy he brought with him from an assistant coaching job in Detroit.

Porter, 48, spent last season working as a sideline reporter for Portland Trail Blazers' television broadcasts.

He was drafted 24th overall by the Blazers in 1985 after he played collegiately at Wisconsin-Stevens Point and played 11 seasons in Portland before he came to the Wolves in 1995.

He played for Jack Ramsay, Mike Schuler, Rick Adelman, P.J. Carlesimo, Flip Saunders and Gregg Popovich during his playing career. He also worked under Flip as an assistant with the Pistons that one year.

Btw, the Suns just recently stopped paying Porter to be a head coach even though he fired him in February 2009.

And just FYI: Nelson said late Sunday night from Hawaii that he did not speak again with Kahn over the weekend as he had expected to, but said he doesn't think it means anything one way or the other.

And here's another name who could get consideration -- and an interview -- if the Pistons don't hire Lawrence Frank instead: Mike Woodson.